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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24737542">Puppy Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion'>Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Law &amp; Order: SVU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Pride Bingo, Prompt Fill, get-together, with Miss Bean as Docket</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:34:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,535</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24737542</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sonny discovers that Rafael has a dog, and man, it's pretty cute.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Barisi Pride 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Puppy Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sonny walks off the elevator at One Hogan Place and stops short when he hears a sharp bark. He looks down and chuckles at the sight of a small, yellow dog with large ears standing in full protective stance and staring at him. "Hi, buddy," he says. </p>
<p>The dog barks again, three quick barks, and its thin, whippy tail quivers. </p>
<p>"Docket! Goddamnit!" </p>
<p>Sonny looks up with amusement as Rafael comes hurrying down the hall from his office. "Docket?" he says. </p>
<p>"Docket, sit," Rafael says, holding out his hand, palm down. </p>
<p>Docket doesn't look at Rafael. The dog stares at Sonny and growls quietly but doesn't show teeth. </p>
<p>"Docket. <em>Sit</em>." Rafael repeats. </p>
<p>Docket glances at Rafael, then looks away quickly. Sonny gets barked at twice more. He has to fight the urge to laugh.</p>
<p>"<em>Sit,</em>" Rafael orders.</p>
<p>Docket drops into a sit, then glances over at Rafael, tail wagging slightly. </p>
<p>Rafael rolls his eyes, then crouches next to the dog. "Yes. Good girl. What a good girl." He scoops a hand under the dog's stomach and picks her up, pressing her against his side. "Detective, hello," he says as confident as ever, even as a smattering of yellow hair sheds onto his suit jacket.</p>
<p>"Hi," Sonny says, giving up on trying to swallow his amused grin. He gestures to Docket. "Is it safe to say hi?"</p>
<p>"Yes. She's just loud. Let her sniff your hand, then scratch her under the chin."</p>
<p>Sonny does as instructed, cooing when Docket's eyes half-close at the chin scritches. "Holy shit, she's cute," he says. "I didn't know you had a dog."</p>
<p>"I've only had her for about six months," Rafael says. "I've kept quiet on it because I didn't relish the chance of getting threatening letters about hurting her from some disgruntled asshole fresh out of prison."</p>
<p>Sonny blinks. "Oh, shit," he says. Docket licks his fingers, and Sonny coos at her again. "Is that why she's here? Did someone threaten you and you're worried?"</p>
<p>"No," Rafael says, turning to walk to his office. Sonny falls into step next to him. Docket stays relaxed against Rafael's side. "As you just saw, she's rude when she meets people. And dogs. And cats. And birds. And trees. Her trainer thought it'd be helpful if she could spend some time in my office and hopefully learn a few manners by having people come in and out. I figured if anyone's coming after me, they'd have seen me walk her by now, so the threats would come in regardless of her being here or not."</p>
<p>Sonny makes a face. "That's a lot to weigh to just get to spend time with your dog."</p>
<p>Rafael shrugs, but Sonny can see the tension in his face. "It is what it is. She generally just flops out sleeps, but I apparently left the door unlatched when I walked back in after a meeting, and she snuck out."</p>
<p>"Snuck out, or you were too busy to notice?" Sonny asks, glad to have some way to lighten the mood.</p>
<p>"Snuck out, I assure you." Rafael scritches Docket behind the ears and then kisses the top of her head. Sonny's heart triphammers hard at the sight. "She generally sits next to the door even if it's unlatched to show she wants to go out. This time, she nosed it open enough to slip out and did it without a sound. Because she's too clever by half and an escape artist when she wants to be."</p>
<p>"Aww," Sonny says, letting Docket sniff his hand again. "Are you a Teeny Houdini?"</p>
<p>"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Rafael says, though the smile he gives Sonny tells him he found it charming. </p>
<p>They walk into Rafael's office, and Rafael crouches down to put Docket on the floor. Docket wags her tail and sniffs around, then turns, sees Sonny, and barks again. </p>
<p>Rafael sighs. "Docket," he says. Docket tips her head back and barks more. Rafael looks at Sonny. "I need you to ignore her. I know it seems counterintuitive, but if we pay her any attention right now, including trying to get her to follow a command, she'll just keep going."</p>
<p>Sonny laughs and forces himself not to look down as Docket keeps barking. "Hey, you're her person. I trust you to know." He holds out the files he's brought with him. "The updates you asked for."</p>
<p>"Thank you." Rafael takes the folders and steps around Docket to go sit at his desk. "Have a seat, Carisi," he says. </p>
<p>Sonny sits in one of the visitor chairs as Rafael flips open the first file. Docket's barks get quieter as Sonny looks around while Rafael reviews the file. There's a set of ceramic dog dishes under the sink. They're pale pink with little red hearts. There's a fleece blanket in purple and yellow plaid on the floor on the right side of Rafael's desk, and there's a plush Chinese takeout box on the empty visitor chair next to Sonny. He reaches over to pick it up, but he's interrupted when Docket suddenly jumps in his lap. "Oh," he says. "Hi."</p>
<p>Docket gives a little hop and presses her front paws on Sonny's chest. She leans in and sniffs his cheeks, then licks his nose. </p>
<p>Sonny laughs and moves slowly to pet her on her back. She lifts her chin and stares at the ceiling as Sonny scratches up and down her back. "Oh, you're a sweetie," he says. He scritches behind her ears, and she licks his nose again. "Thank you," he says. He glances around Docket to see Rafael's reaction. He expects a knowing smirk, but he's met with a look of honest surprise. </p>
<p>"She doesn't usually like people so quickly," Rafael says when he realizes Sonny is looking at him. "It generally takes a solid half hour before she's even willing to sniff you."</p>
<p>"Hey, cool, I won," Sonny replies. He chuckles when Docket licks his nose yet again. "Yes, I see you, princess," he says, putting his attention back on her. He scritches her sides and down her back again. Docket stares off into the distance, and Sonny laughs. "She looks so regal."</p>
<p>"It's a trick, I assure you," Rafael says.</p>
<p>"Well, she learned from the best," Sonny replies and grins when Rafael gives him a fondly exasperated look. "Come on. The joke was right there."</p>
<p>"That doesn't mean you had to make it," Rafael says. He opens the next file and starts the skim it. </p>
<p>Docket drops into a sit on Sonny's lap and stares at him for a moment, then stands and turns 180 degrees before dropping into a sit again. A few seconds later, she curls into a lay, her head resting on her paws. </p>
<p>"Oh, what a good girl," Sonny says, placing a hand gently on her back. </p>
<p>Rafael looks up and seems charmed at the picture in front of him. "You have a real way about you, Carisi," he says. </p>
<p>"Hey, dogs know I'm trustworthy. I consider it a compliment," Sonny replies. He pets Docket slowly. "Why'd you name her Docket?" he asks. </p>
<p>"She's a rescue, so I knew some days would be good and some days would be bad. Much like getting the docket for the week."</p>
<p>"The fact that you had a very factual reason for a very cute name is so on brand for you," Sonny says. </p>
<p>Rafael grins. "Is that a compliment?"</p>
<p>"Sure," Sonny says with a shrug. He pets Docket some more, taking a moment to decide on his next move. A move he's been thinking about for awhile. "I'd be happy to dole out a few more compliments over dinner," he says. Docket shifts slightly like she knows he's nervous, and Sonny keeps up his soft petting as he looks at Rafael.</p>
<p>Rafael glances up from the files again. "Excuse me?"</p>
<p>"I'm asking you to dinner," Sonny says, emboldened by the flare of interest on Rafael's face.</p>
<p>Rafael leans back in his chair and gives Sonny a sharp look. "Oh?"</p>
<p>Sonny licks his lips. "Yeah," he says. "You and me and a well-made dinner somewhere. I'll say a lot of true, nice things about you. You can return the favor. We'll have some good food and see where things go."</p>
<p>"An intriguing proposition," Rafael says. "And Docket approves of you."</p>
<p>"I take it as a very high compliment," Sonny replies. He scritches behind Docket's ears again. Docket breathes out hard through her nose and relaxes a bit more into Sonny's lap. </p>
<p>"You should," Rafael replies. He gives Sonny a once-over that Sonny feels like a mild electric shock. "We'll talk about dinner after we review these files," he says. "If you have any recommendations with patios, start there. Docket likes to sit and people watch."</p>
<p>Sonny grins. "Well, we wouldn't want her to be bored."</p>
<p>Rafael returns the grin, then glances at Docket. His face goes soft with affection. Sonny lets himself imagine some upcoming Saturday of the three of them on the couch, Rafael looking just as soft as he does in that moment, except this time he's looking at Sonny. </p>
<p>"Good girl," Sonny murmurs to Docket, and Docket's weight sinks into his lap like she's making a claim.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In a moment of perfect timing, this prompt (which has been waiting its turn for awhile) ended up matching up with the Barisi Pride Bingo combo of yellow and first date. And Kat is responsible for both, so yay!</p>
<p>Docket is shamelessly based on my dog, Miss Bean, at Kat's suggestion. And, let's be real, Rafael's dog would have some asshole tendencies to work out.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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